 A 6¼ cent note. From a system where one
bit was one-eighth of a Dollar or a Peso, ie, 12½ cents (source of the term two
bits for a US 25 cents piece).

halved note(s)  Notes cut in two as a precaution against
loss, for example, during transportation. See also: cut notes.

hand dated  See: hand signed, manuscript.

hand numbered  See: hand signed, manuscript.

hand signed note  A note bearing one or more signatures
written by hand, sometimes in addition to rubber stamped or printed signature(s).
Handsigning is rather impractical with modern notes and, in general, ceased sometime in
the 19th Century. See also: manuscript.

Hand written  Handwritten, in English. See also: manuscript.

Hansatsu (note)  An extensive range of Japanese notes issued
by various local officials for over two centuries, c1660-1875, imitating the style of
previous government issues which are much scarcer. Usually printed by woodblock on
laminated card stock. Sometimes referred to as bookmark notes due to their narrow
vertical shape.

haupt  Head or main, in German.

Hauptsmüntzamt  Main mint office (main treasury), in German.

Hawaiian Dollar(s)  Like regular Small Size USA notes ($1
Silver Certificate, 1935A; $5 FRN, 1934 & 1934A; $10 FRN, 1934A; and $20 FRN, 1934
& 1934A), but overprinted HAWAII on the backs, and with brown Treasury Seals.
Issued as a precautionary measure during WW2, on the theory that if Hawaii were occupied
by the Japanese, these notes could be declared invalid without having to invalidate ALL
notes, and thus be faced with the problems of having to produce a totally new series of
notes for the whole country, a mind boggling task indeed. Curiously, while somewhat scarce
now, these notes were viewed with distrust by the residents at the time, who let them go
at various discounts just to get rid of them. Similarly, notes with yellow (or
"gold") seals were issued for American troops fighting in North Africa. Both
these series of notes may be considered as forerunners of Military Payment Certificates,
qv.

Hell Money  aka Chinese Burial Notes, Hell Banknotes,
Hell Notes. These terms all refer to any of hundreds of thousands of varieties of pieces
of paper, often having a vague resemblance to money, printed for burning, as a good luck
gesture, during Chinese funeral rites. They're about as collectible as grocery discount
coupons.

Helvetia  Switzerland, native term, from Latin.

Hertzogliche, Hertzogtum  Principality, in German.

hoard(s)  One hears this word a lot in syngraphic circles. It
refers to the fact that a large quantity (a hoard!) of a scarce note suddenly appears on
the market, substantially lowering its value. (Remember when the Cambodian 1000 Riels note
of 1973 catalogued $50.00?) A novice collector will do well to realize that such things
can and do happen, although the appearance of hoards has been steadily diminishing since
the Early Seventies.

horseblanket  aka saddle blanket. Popular, though
obsolete, slang for the Large Size notes of USA.

hour note  See: labor note.

housing  A papermoney term that involves things such as album
sheets, holders, etc, which are used to organize collections. While stamp
collectors generally concern themselves only with album pages, papermoney
collectors situation is a bit more complicated as, ideally, they would like to be able to
store their treasures in such a way that both sides of notes are easily visible.

Hrvatska  Croatia, in Croatian.

Hungarian Fund Scrip  Scrip engraved in English as well as
Hungarian, signed by Lajos Kossuth, and issued in hopes of raising funds in America for
the establishment of an Independent Hun-garian Government. The English issue bearing his
portrait is dated February 1852, in New York, the year P C Headley published The Life
of Lajos Kossuth, at Auburn, NY, and the period of Kossuth's intensive campaign
throughout USA for support.